LacZ-based detection of acyl-homoserine lactone quorum-sensing signals.

Many bacteria use quorum-sensing regulatory systems to monitor their population density and to coordinate their genetic expression under certain conditions. Acyl-homoserine lactones are often produced by many Gram-negative bacteria and serve as quorum-sensing signal molecules. This unit describes two commonly used methods to detect acyl-homoserine lactones from laboratory or environmental bacterial cultures.